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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-12-2016 ARC MinutesMinutes ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION Monday, September 12, 2016 Regular Meeting of the Architectural Review Commission CALL TO ORDER A Regular Meeting of the Architectural Review Commission was called to order on Monday, September 12th, 2016 at 5:01 p.m. in the Council Chambers, located at 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, by Chair Greg Wynn. ROLL CALL Present: Commissioners Patricia Andreen, Amy Nemcik (5:03), Allen Root, Angela Soll, Vice -Chair Suzan Ehdaie, and Chair Greg Wynn Absent: None Staff: Principal Planner Tyler Corey, Assistant Planner Kyle Bell, Assistant Planner Walter Oetzell, and Recording Secretary Brad T. Opstad PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON -AGENDA ITEMS None. CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES Consideration of Minutes for the ARC Regular Meeting July 18. 2016 : ACTION: UPON MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ANDREEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SOLL, the ARC Minutes of July 18th, 2016 were approved as written following 5:0:1:0 vote: AYES: Andreen, Soll, Root, Nemcik, Ehdaie NOES: None ABSTAIN: Wynn ABSENT: None Consideration of Minutes for the ARC Reimlar Meeting of Auimst 1, 2016: ACTION: UPON MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ROOT, SECONDED BY VICE - CHAIR EHDAIE, the ARC Minutes of August 1 st, 2016 were approved as written on the following 6:0:0:0 vote: AYES: Root, Ehdaie, Nemcik, Andreen, Ehdaie, Wynn NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: None PUBLIC HEARINGS 1. 3175 Violet Street. ARCH -3370-2016: Review of a new affordable housing project within the Serra Meadows development, Lot 108, consisting of four new buildings containing 36 units, and a request to reduce the street yard to 10 feet for a portion of the building along Violet Street, where 15 feet is normally required, in accordance with Mitigated Negative Declaration ER -120-13 City Council Resolution No. 10512 (2014 Series); R -3 -SP zone; San Luis Obispo Non -Profit Housing Corporation, applicant. Assistant Planner Bell presented the Staff Report on the three-story housing development project. Vice -Chair Ehdaie inquired about the balconies previously shown in the Conceptual Review of the design and now removed due to privacy issues; Assistant Planner Bell displayed street frontage elevations. Vice -Chair Ehdaie inquired about decorative features such as tilework. APPLICANT PRESENTATION Scott Smith, Executive Director of HASLO, sponsor of the project, made general comments about the severe need for housing, that the market rate homes in Serra Meadows having been sold, and how the architectural team incorporated all the previous ARC suggestions into the affordable housing component of the development. Scott Martin, Associate at RRM Design Group, provided rendering, conceptual site plan and project statistics' slides, before discussing Condition #31 and showing a project tour video. Commissioner Andreen inquired about the tandem and assigned parking spaces, as well as bicycle parking. Commissioner Root inquired about the enhanced screening landscaping along Plum Street. RRM Landscape Architect Chris DuFour discussed the proposed tree species and their maturity rates. Vice -Chair Ehdaie inquired about existence of potential public common area. Minutes — Architectural Review Commission for September 12, 2016 Page 2 PUBLIC COMMENT David Booker, San Luis Obispo, spoke as longtime City resident in support of the project and for affordable housing in general. Julia K. Ogden, San Luis Obispo, CEO for Habitat for Humanity SLO County, spoke in support of the project's rental units devoted to hardworking people. Joseph Shuaitowski, San Luis Obispo, spoke as a new resident to City on concerns regarding overflow parking potential on streets ancillary to the project. Chuck Crotser, San Luis Obispo, enthusiastically supported approval of project and fully endorsed analysis and recommendations of Staff. Jay Beck, San Luis Obispo, spoke as Commissioner of Housing Authority; indicated being pleased with changes made on project to parking allotment which now exceeds requirements. Jerry Rioux, San Luis Obispo, spoke as a member of the management team for the County Housing Trust Fund, encouraged ARC to adopt Staff recommendation for the density bonus project. Marti Reed, San Luis Obispo, spoke on the lack of local jobs that could support the housing crisis and indicated appreciation for the project. Farid Shahid, San Luis Obispo, voiced support of the project. Biz Steinberg, San Luis Obispo, City Housing Authority Commissioner and CEO of Community Action Partnership, spoke supportively for project adoption. Rich Chubon, San Luis Obispo, spoke as a developer of affordable housing and stressed the difficult work involved to build financially -feasible residences, indicating this project as ideal. Steve Delmartini, San Luis Obispo, spoke on the critical housing shortage and the high quality of work performed by the Applicant team. He stressed the importance of Serra Meadows' residents having voiced their concerns without their being against the affordable housing component. Megan Lillich, San Luis Obispo, spoke as a resident of Violet Street unopposed to low-income housing; addressed parking issues in the area, noted the steep hill as problematic for disabled residents to access, and various view -shed issues. Jackie Leopold, San Luis Obispo, spoke as a Serra Meadows resident living proximal to Lot 108; shared concerns with lack of parking and height of the building on the elevated lot. Minutes — Architectural Review Commission for September 12, 2016 Page 3 Robin Kisinger, San Luis Obispo, spoke as a resident of Violet Street supportive of affordable housing, noted the thoughtful development in Serra Meadows community and shared parking concerns. Cameron Chapman, San Luis Obispo, spoke as a future resident of Violet Street regarding the affordable housing component impacting both privacy, character and safety of the neighborhood. Elaine Archer, San Luis Obispo Housing Authority, Director of Housing, spoke on the project providing local workforce housing, thereby eliminating the cost of commuting. Janet Kourakis, San Luis Obispo, voiced support for the project; commended architectural adjustments that mitigate concerns of surrounding neighbors; and acknowledged that HASLO has a positive track record in neighborliness. Cliff Branch, spoke in deference to the attractiveness of the proposed site, commented unfavorably on the building height on an elevated lot, noting the impact on non -subsidized properties below it, and pointed out the poor soil quality for growing the proposed landscaping. Ben Potter, San Luis Obispo, spoke as a Serra Meadows resident regarding the poor soil quality impact to quality landscaping, and commented on the future increase to traffic along small arterial streets. Heidi Borders, San Luis Obispo, spoke as resident living on Violet Street, concerning existing parking issues that would only be exacerbated by insufficient parking development on site. Ken Litzinger, San Luis Obispo, Director of Finance for the Housing Authority, spoke on the complexity of developing affordable housing projects and achieving necessary maximums on each, mentioned that the Housing Authority does not select its sites. Ross Sprague, San Luis Obispo, resident of Serra Meadows, spoke on the impacts on the site's three-story building views. Heidi Hopkins, San Luis Obispo, spoke as new homeowner in Phase 1 of Serra Meadows development supportive of affordable housing for multiple reasons; shared concerns with street parking overflow occurring already among homes with garages; opined that views are not an entitlement, but that privacy is. Minutes — Architectural Review Commission for September 12, 2016 Page 4 COMMISSION DELIBERATION AND DISCUSSION Commissioner Andreen inquired about proximity of public transit stops and the projected number of automobiles that future residents will possess; Commissioner Nemcik inquired about the location of ingress from Plum Street; Chair Wynn inquired about the slope of driveways; Commissioner Root inquired about the current process for selecting sites for affordable housing projects. HASLO Director Smith responded to Commissioner Root's inquiry about apartments -to - parking -space ratios. Commissioner Soll inquired about ingress and egress access of Violet Street and the parking lot, along with transition of densities in residential zoning; Vice -Chair Ehdaie inquired about minimum distance between buildings and nearby homes; Commissioner Andreen inquired about the breakdown of one, two, and three bedroom units within development toward her own computation for parking allotment. Chair Wynn, Principal Planner Corey and Planner Bell discussed tree maturity and soil condition, Condition #15 regarding trees on slope in the landscaping plan, notification policies per homebuyers in escrow, and the updating of addressing notices to the 180 homeowners in the development. Commissioner Nemcik and Chair Wynn discussed Condition #31 and questions raised surrounding stormwater control. Commissioner Andreen commented on her pressing concerns regarding parking numbers; shared appreciative regard for the design improvements made following preliminary Conceptual Review. Commissioner Soll commented favorably on the elimination of balconies. Commissioner Root commented on the hilly neighborhood and its overlook opportunities due its topography; discussed adding a Condition for landscape performance; considered reviewing site selection criteria in similar future projects. Commissioner Nemcik spoke in support of a landscape performance condition and added consideration of tree size to it and voiced support of the street yard reduction exception. Vice -Chair Ehdaie noted that privacy is a subjective issue and that the minimum distance proposed between the project and homes circumvents any concerns adequately; suggested that Minutes — Architectural Review Commission for September 12, 2016 Page 5 the Architect re -introduce balconies in the areas of the complex wherein privacy is not a substantive issue. Chair Wynn provided thoughts on the telling nature of the parking spaces provided in the development's existing homes and discussed methods in which HASLO might monitor its occupants' parking. ACTION: UPON MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ROOT, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ANDREEN, the Architectural Review Commission adopted the Draft Resolution which approves the project in accordance with the Mitigated Negative Declaration, based on findings and subject to the following amended conditions: A.) Condition #9 to read, "...and other improvements, encouraging more articulation on the surfaces through further decorative tilework accent pieces, accent colors, decorative iron, trellises, and Juliet Balconies' where neighborhood privacy is not an issue, to the approval of the Community Development Director"; B.) Added language to Condition #15 to require that the applicant shall meet with City Arborist to identify and implement best methods for successful future screening of the sloped planting areas, including but not limited to, tree size, tree species, soil amendments, and irrigation, with the performance goal of fast maturity of screening on the steeper slope, to the approval of both the Public Works Director and the Community Development Director; C.) Condition #31 to read, "...by the Regional Water Quality Control Board for redevelopment sites, to the approval of the Public Works Director."; on the following 6:0:0:0 vote: AYES: Root, Andreen, Nemcik, Soll, Ehdaie, Wynn NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: None Chair Wynn offered five-minute recess. Chair Wynn requested Staff to shift the paragraph which deals with aggrieved appeal process to the introductory portion of future Agendas' front page. 2. 2102 Broad Street. ARCH -2764-2016; Modification of an approved plan (ARCMI 29-12) for construction of an addition to a single-family dwelling, to replace the demolished portion of the dwelling with new construction and add a third floor, including an exception from the six foot fence and wall height limits to allow a portion of a wall to be 10 feet in height; C -N zone; Samuel Clemons, applicant. Planner Oetzell provided the Staff Report on the modification request for the single-family home on Broad Street; discussed the addressing of the four (4) Directional Items from the March 21St, 2016 ARC Conceptual Review. Minutes — Architectural Review Commission for September 12, 2016 Page 6 APPLICANT PRESENTATION Keith Hall, Architect for Applicant, narrated a PowerPoint presentation of the project's modified design. Vice -Chair Ehdaie inquired about circulation within the site and around the parking spaces for office and dwelling units on adjacent property; Commissioner Nemcik inquired about the removal of a proposed solar installation and its relation to height and roof pitch requirements. PUBLIC COMMENT None. COMMISSION DELIBERATION AND DISCUSSION Chair Wynn reminded the Commission that he was lone dissenting vote in March's Conceptual Review, citing his then -opinion on completely disallowing the third floor due to height, scale and massing contentions. Commissioner Nemcik inquired about the removal of wood siding off the vertical element and its relation to reducing the bulk at the corners. Commissioner Root commented on Condition #2 as it pertains to redwood slats being limited in application being of slightly errant direction and cited alternatives for consideration; discussed further articulation being potentially rendered on flat -planed wall facing car wash and visible from Broad Street; commented on privacy wall height reduction; and commented on the entryway being better communicated as an obvious entrance. Chair Wynn inquired about zoning allowances for solar collectors exceeding height requirements. Architect Hall presented further potential alternatives to design of vertical elements for consideration in order to avoid ARC endorsing continuance on Hearing. Chair Wynn discussed the option for privacy wall height exception being handled at Staff level. Principal Planner Corey stated that the Applicant could make such a request separately via Staff and outside of review. Chair Wynn sought clarification on the wording for "adjacent to car wash". Chair Wynn informed that he would be voting "No" on the Adoption of Resolution due to his belief that the overall height and massing remains inappropriate for the small parcel. Minutes — Architectural Review Commission for September 12, 2016 Page 7 ACTION: UPON MOTION BY VICE -CHAIR EHDAIE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER NEMCIK, the Architectural Review Commission adopted the Draft Resolution approving the project, including an exception from fence height limits, based on findings, and subject to the following amended condition: A.) Condition #2 to insert the following: "Horizontal elements on the north side shall be modified, through material changes and the introduction of additional transparent elements for the railing system, to the approval of the Community Development Director; on the following 5:1:0:0 vote: AYES: Ehdaie, Nemcik, Root, Soll, Andreen NOES: Wynn ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: None COMMENT & DISCUSSION Principal Planner Corey provided the Agenda Forecast: September 1911: Joint CHC & ARC Hearing on Bishop Street Studios; ARC Hearing on City Box Art Project for sites outside of downtown October 311: Poly Performance expansion project @ 870 Industrial; Discovery Bowl modifications @ 1144 Chorro; Mixed-use project @ 1042 Olive; Leadership SLO's Demo Garden Informal discussion ensued on the four County reservoirs and their respective fill percentages in respect for future considerations on building beyond water capacities. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m. APPROVED BY THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION: 10/17/2016 Minutes — Architectural Review Commission for September 12, 2016 Page 8